PROFIT-TAKERS sent shares lower in choppy trade as an unsettled Wall Street pushed the index to its session lows, led down by telecoms. The FTSE 100 closed down 66.2 points, 1 per cent, at 6,309.5. BT and Vodafone AirTouch cost the index 20 points between them.

Dealers said the failure of Wall Street to build on its pre-Labor Day gains prompted the downbeat mood despite improved sentiment over US interest rates. "The temperature has cooled after the big rise last week," said a dealer.